Electrical swivel connecter



Sept. 11, 1934. J s v s 1,973,234

ELECTRICAL SWIVEL CONNECTER Filed July 24, 1933 gums/whom Patented Sept.11, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to swivel connecters for electrical lines orconductors and the object of the invention is to provide a connecter orplug which is designed and constructed to serve as a 6 swivelconnection, either applied at the outlet plug or intermediate the endsof the wires, to prevent the wires from becoming kinked or tangled,thereby eliminating wear and short circuits which would ordinarilyresult due to such kinking and 10 twisting of the wires, and to providea device primarily adapted to be used in conjunction with the wireextensions such as used on electric irons, vacuum cleaners, telephones,etc.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds.

Referring to the accompanying drawing which is made a part hereof and onwhich similar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure l is a section in elevation of the invention of the screw sockettype,

Figure 2, a side elevation of the rotatable member,

Figure 3, a section in elevation of a modified form of the device foruse in extension cords, and 2 Figures 4 and 5 are detail views of theconnecter posts of the device shown in Figure 3.

In the drawing reference character indicates the casing of the deviceformed of any suitable insulating material and provided with a reducedend 11 on which a conducting threaded sleeve 12 is mounted. The end 11is provided with a bore 13 in communication with the hollow upper end ofthe casing and is provided with a cup-like member 14 secured therein andheld in place by a screw 15 threaded in the end thereof. An insulatingwasher 16 rests against the lower end of the sleeve and is held in placeby the screw head 17. The inner face of the hollow portion of the casingis concaved thus providing a recess for a conducting ball 18 which restson top of the member 14 and is forced outwardly by means of a spring 19positioned in the member 14.

The inner surface of the casing 10 is provided with a conducting sleeve20 which is connected by means of a suitable conductor 21 to the sleeve12, the conductor 21 being embedded in the lower end of the casing asclearly shown in Figure 1.

The rotatable member 22 is formed of insulating material provided withcontacts 23 and 24 embedded therein adapted to receive a plug connecterof the conventional type. The inner end of the member 22 is providedwith a flange 25 on which a conducting flanged ring 26 is mounted, beingconnected tothe contact 24.

The inner end of member 22 is provided with a central contacting element27 having a recessed face adapted to seat on the conducting ball 18, andis connected to the contact 23. An insulating washer 28 is providedintermediate the contact element 27 and the inner end of the member 22.

When the member 22 is placed in position in the casing, the upper faceof the ring 26, the conducting sleeve 20 and the member 22 form a recessinto which a series of conducting balls 29 are placed and retained by aplate ring 30 resting on the tops thereof. An insulating cap 31 isthreaded in the upper end of the casing 10 to hold the assembly inposition. The spring 19 tends to force the ball 18 upwardly to hold themember 22 against the balls 29 thereby insuring contact between therespective parts of the device yet per mitting the member 22 to rotatewith respect to the casing 10. 1

The modified form shown in Figure 3 is formed of an insulating cupmember 32 provided with an opening 33 in the lower end through which thewires 34 may be connected to the posts 35 and 36. A pin 37 is providedadjacent the post 36 in contact with the Wire 34 and extends upwardly toengage a conducting plate 38. An insulating washer 39 is mountedintermediate the posts 35 and 36 and the plate 38. The plate 38 isprovided with a concaved opening 40 in the center in which a conductingball 41 seats. The plate 38 is also provided with a notch 42 formed inthe edge thereof to prevent contact with the wire 53.

The rotating member 43 formed of any suitable insulating material havinga flanged lower end 44 and a bore 45 through which the wires 46 extendand are connected to the posts 47 and 48. A pin member 49 is positionedadjacent the post 4'7 and extends to engage a conducting plate 50secured in the end of the member 43. The plate 50 is provided with aconcaved recess formed in the under surface which seats on the ball 41.An insulating washer 51 is positioned between the plate 50 and the posts47 and 48.

The cup member 32 has a conducting sleeve 52 secured to the innersurface thereof which is connected in electrical contact with the post35 by means of a conducting wire 53 positioned intermediate the sleeveand the inner surface of the cup member. A conducting wire 54 isconnected to the post 48 and extends upwardly through the member 43 andis wound around and rests on the face of the flange 44. A conductingring 55 rests on the wire 54. The ring 55 serves as a race or seat forthe conducting balls 56. A similar conducting ring 57 is mounted on topof the balls 56.

An insulating cap 58 is threaded into the end of the cup member 32 tohold the amembly in position.

The operation or the device is quite obvious. The device shown in Figure1 is merely turned into a conventional outlet either with or without theextension plug in place. With the plug in place by turning the deviceinto or out oi. an outlet, the inner member is not rotated due to thefact that ball conductors allow the parts to rotate with respect to eachother yet maintaining electrical contact between the conductor posts.The current in one circuit flows through the screw 15, the member 14,the ball 18, the element 27 to the contact 23 and the other side fromthe sleeve 12, the wire 21, the sleeve 20, the balls 29, the ring 26 tothe contact 24.

In the modified form suitable to be connected intermediate the ends ofan extension cord, the cord is severed and the ends are connected to therespective binding posts. One circuit for the current is as follows fromone of the wires 34, to the pin 37, the plate 38, the ball 41, the plate50, pin 49 and hence to the wire 46. The other circuit is made throughthe other of the wires 34, the wire 53, the sleeve 52, the balls 56, theplate 55, the wire 54, and to the wire 46.

It may be clearly seen that in the case of any twisting or turning ofthe extension cord from any cause, the device, whether inserted in anoutlet or intermediate the ends of an extension cord, will prevent thewires from becoming entangled,

thereby eliminating wear on the insulation willprevent pulling loose atthe connecter posts and the resulting short circuits and will avoid anyinconvenience in the use of such electrical appliances or devicesrequiring extension cords. The device is so constructed and designed asto insure free movement of the respective parts yet maintain positivecontact between the conducting elements and is well insulated to make itsafe, durable and useful.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in my device without departing from the spirit of the inventionand I therefore do not limit myself to what is shown in the drawing anddescribed in the specification, but only as indicated by the appendedclaims.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. A device of the kind described comprising a casing having contactelements thereon, a conductive sleeve secured in said casing inelectrical contact with one of said elements, a conducting memberpositioned in said casing in electrical contact with the other of saidelements, a rotatable member positioned substantially entirely withinsaid casing, a cap screw threaded into said casing for holding saidrotatable member therein, said rotatable member being provided withcontacts and with sockets adapted to receive the prongs on aconventional plug, a recessed contact element in electrical connectionswith one or the said contacts and adapted to seat on said conductingmember, means tending to iorce said conducting member outwardly toinsure positive contact, means positioned between said rotatable memberand said sleeve for connecting the other contact element to said sleevethereby maintaining contact between the contacts of said rotatablemember and the contact elements on said casing yet permitting freerotation of said rotatable member with respect to said casing.

2. A device of the kind described comprising a casing, contact elementson said casing, a conducting sleeve positioned in said casing inelectrical contact with one of said elements, a conducting ballpositioned centrally of said casing in electrical contact with theotherof said elements, a member rotatably mounted in said cssmg and providedwith contacts thereon and with sockets adapted to receive the prongs ona conventional plug, a cap screw threaded into said casing for holdingsaid rotatable member therein, a conducting plate provided with a recemdface positioned on said conducting ball in electrical contact with oneof said contact elements, a series of conducting balls positioned intermdiate said member and said conducting sleeve, means for connecting saidballs to the other or said contact elements to permit free rotation ofsaid member with respect to said casing yet maintain positive electricalconnection, between the contacts of said rotatable member and thecontact elements of said casing.

3. A device of the kind described comprising a casing having an enlargedend and a reduced end the enlarged end being hollow to form an enlargedchamber and the reduced end having a threaded sleeve thereon, the saidreduced end having a bore communicating with the enlarged chamber, acup-like member in said bore, the bore having a shoulder intermediateits ends upon which said cup-like member rests, an insulating washerpositioned on the said reduced end, a screw having its head engagingsaid washer and threaded into said cup-like member for holding saidwasher and said cuplike member in position, a second sleeve in saidenlarged chamber and in electrical connection with said threaded sleeve,a rotatable member positioned in said enlarged chamber, a pair ofsockets in said rotatable member having contacts adapted to engageprongs on a conventional plug, a plurality of rollers electricallyconnected with one of said contacts and in engagement with said secondsleeve, the other of said contacts being in electrical connection withthe said screw.

JOHN E. TSAVARIS.

